Ri Bhoi, 9th Mile, Khanapara, 30 January 2018: With the
objective to create greater public awareness of the importance
of human rights to the lives of people, the Meghalaya Human
Rights Commission (MHRC)organized an ‘Awareness Programme on
Human Rights’ at University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya
in association with the University School of Law and Research
here today. The programme was addressed by Dr. Justice Aftab
Hussain Saikia, Chairperson, MHRC; P.J.P. Hanaman, Member, MHRC;
Noor Khan, District Session Judge, Ri Bhoi and West Jaintia
Hills; Baharun Saikia, Advocate, Gauhati High Court and was
participated by hundreds of law and political science students
from USTM, apart from other participants.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Justice Aftab Husain Saikia, the
MHRC Chairman and former Chief Justice in Jammu & Kashmir and
Sikkim, said that human right in India is in a critical state as
“a judgement is always judge oriented”. “Even learned people in
our country have been seen violating human rights. Therefore, I
feel that people should read the Constitution to know our rights
and duties. One should make it a point to donate the
Constitution to as many people possible, rather than donating
religious books”, he added. According to him, in view of the
innumerable cases of human rights violation in India, there is
an urgent need for establishment of Human Rights Courts in every
district of every state of the country.

Making a Power-Point Presentation on “Overview of Human Rights
in Meghalaya”, P.J.P. Hanaman, Hon’ble member, MHRC said that
Meghalaya Human Rights Commission was constituted only recently
on 15 July 2016 under the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993
which made Meghalaya the third state after Assam and Tripura to
have a Human Rights Commission. Hanaman pointed out five
categories of human rights—Civil, Political, Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights and explained them to the students and all
present in the programme. He said that the two main functions of
MHRC are, i) to inquire suo moto or on a petition presented to
it by a victim or any person against violation of human rights
by a public servant or abetment thereof, ii) negligence in the
prevention of violence. Moreover, MHRC would not enquire into
any matter which has taken place more than one year earlier.

Speaking on the occasion, Noor Khan, District Session Judge, Ri
Bhoi and West Jaintia Hills, said that people have to understand
the concept of human rights first. He said that certain laws
have become redundant and that is why the concept of human
rights emerged. “Human Right is an interest to be protected by
the state. It is not enough to confer right, but there should be
a mechanism in order to confer rights so that rights could be
enjoyed”, he said.

Earlier, welcoming the participants, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor
of USTM said that USTM takes interest in research, study and
participation in issues having impact on the well being of the
society. He said that Meghalaya can expect to have a world class
university at USTM in the near future. An interactive session
also took place between the students and the speakers. The
programme came to an end with the vote of thanks given by Prof
Alaka Sarma, Dean, School of Social Sciences and Humanities,
USTM.